A Presidential Committee set up to review appointments and promotions hurriedly done during the dying days of the Akufo-Addo government, has upheld a total of 1,201 while revoking 541.
Additionally, some 338 appointments involving persons with disabilities were also allowed to stand as according to the Committee they were found to have complied with due process by the Committee set up by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah.
It follows a comprehensive review by the Committee set up to examine a controversial decision after the December 7, 2024, general elections that saw the government then lose to the opposition party.
Minister for Government Communications and Spokesperson to the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, at a media briefing at the presidency explained why government took the decision.
Speaking under the auspices of the Government Accountability Series on March 3, Kwakye Ofosu said, the decision was taken after a thorough investigation.
He stressed that the review was not politically motivated but intended to strengthen due process, accountability, and good governance in the public service.
Some of the institutions that appeared before the Committee were: Office of the Administrator-General, Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, Ghana Post Company Limited, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, National Health Insurance Authority, Office of the Head of Local Government Service, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, Petroleum Commission, Public Procurement Authority, National Communications Authority, Northern Electricity Distribution Company, National Pensions Regulatory Authority, Tema Oil Refinery, Ministry of Health, Ghana National Gas Company.
Of the 36 institutions that appeared before the committee, 28 had commenced their recruitment processes before the December 7 elections.
Thirteen institutions revoked appointments on their own in response to the Chief of Staff’s directive, while 17 others did not immediately comply but sought guidance from the Office of the President instead.
In total, the committee reviewed 2,080 recruitments, appointments, and promotions. Of that number, 879 had already been revoked by institutions themselves following an earlier directive by the in-coming government led by President John Dramani Mahama.
The remaining 1,201 were left unrevoked pending the Committee’s recommendations.
After its review, the Committee recommended that 1,539 of the 2,080 cases be upheld — these were appointments that complied with established procedures and where letters had been issued before December 7, 2024, meeting a compliance pass mark of 80 per cent or above.
The remaining 541 were recommended for revocation. Kwakye Ofosu said these cases failed on two counts: the recruitment processes concluded after December 7, and they did not meet the required compliance standards.
Notably, the 541 revocations recommended by the committee were actually fewer than the 879 appointments institutions had themselves cancelled following the Chief of Staff’s initial directive.
The difference, Kwakye Ofosu explained, was deliberate — the result of special consideration extended to vulnerable groups, particularly persons with disabilities within the Ghana Education Service.
“There were some of our compatriots who suffered some disability. But we found that their recruitment should be revoked because it did not comply with the laid-down process. But because of their peculiar situation and the hardship that could be imposed upon them if we were to enforce this directive, they were given some clemency,” he said.
Those individuals have been allowed to regularize their processes so they can remain within the public service and continue to earn an income.
Kwakye Ofosu pointed in his criticism of the Akufo-Addo administration, accusing it of knowingly pushing through non-compliant appointments and dismissing the incoming government’s appeals for consultation.
“The previous government was fully aware that basic requirements were not met in those cases and still went ahead to sanction them,” he said, adding that the exercise was carried out “without malice or ill-feeling towards anyone” and was “a necessary step to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability.”
Members of the committee were: Nana Oye Bampoe Addo – Deputy Chief of Staff and Chairperson of the Committee; Dr. Prince Edward Darah – Commissioner, Public Service Commission; Ms Roda Gavor – Director HR, Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment; Mr. Bernard Adjei – Representative of Organized Labour; Mr. C.W. Ayiku – Secretary, Director, Finance and Administration, Office of The President.
By Gifty Boateng